Diascia plant named &#39;diaspritwo&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Diascia  plant particularly distinguished by its dark apricot flowers, which produces no seeds, and has a growing habit that is compact, spreading and ascending.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Diascia barberae

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Diaspritwo’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new distinct cultivar of Diascia, botanically known as Diascia barberae.

The new cultivar is propagated from cuttings resulting from the cross of ‘A75-1’ and ‘A64-1’. ‘A75-1’ is an pink flowering Diascia. ‘A75-1’ is not commercially available and is not known by any synonyms. ‘A64-1’ is an coral flowering Diascia. ‘A64-1’ is not commercially available and is not known by any synonyms. Neither ‘A75-1’ nor ‘A64-1’ has been patented.

As a result of this cross the present cultivar was created in 1999 in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and Sarrians, France over a three-year period. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations. The new variety is stable and reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

This new Diascia plant is an annual in most climatical zones in the US, only in zones 7, 8, 9 and 10 it is a perennial plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Diascia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographic drawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color, the color shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of this new Diascia. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 10 week old plants, cultured in 10.5 cm containers, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse.

Color readings were taken in the greenhouse under ambient light. Color references are primarily to the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London. TABLE 1 Differences between the new cultivar ‘Diaspritwo,’ its parents and a similar cultivar ’Sun Chimes Peach ‘Diaspritwo’ ‘A75-1’ ‘A64-1’ Improved’ Flower color Dark apricot Pink Coral Apricot Plant size Small Medium Small Medium Leaf size Large Medium Large Medium Internodes Medium Short Short Long

Sun Chimes Peach Improved has the commercial name ‘Codipeim’ and has U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,336.

The Plant

-   Classification: Botanical Diascia barberae. -   Parentage: Female parent: A seedling named ‘A75-1’ is one of our     seedlings from our A-generation of plants bred in 1995. — Pollen     parent: A seedling named ‘A64-1’ is one of our seedlings from our     A-generation of plants bred in 1995. -   Growth habit: Compact, spreading, ascending. -   Plant height: 18-30 cm. -   Speading area of plant: 24-42 cm. -   Growth rate: Vigorous. -   Strength: Very good. -   Branching character: Freely branching and lateral branching at every     node. -   Quantity of branches: 120-140 branches per plant. -   Blooming period: From April until November.

The Stem

-   Diameter: 1.0 mm. -   Shape: Round. -   Length: 15-17cm. -   Color: 141B. -   Anthocyan pigmentation: Absent. -   Length of internode:     -   -   Vegetative growth.—12-35 mm.         -   Generative growth.—15-35 mm. -   Pubescence: Not pubescent.

The Foliage

-   Phyllotaxis: Opposite, decussate. -   Number of leaves per lateral stem: 22-46. -   Shape of blade: Cordate. -   Texture: Upper side: Smooth — Lower side: Smooth. -   Attachment to leaf: Petiolate. -   Venation: Pinnate. -   Color of veins: Upper side: 138A — Lower side: 137D. -   Leaf margin: Dentate. -   Leaf base: Cordate. -   Leaf apex: Abruptly acute. -   Length: 22-32 mm. -   Width: 18-26 mm. -   Depth of incision: Less than 1 mm. -   Color: Upper side: 137A — Lower side: 137C. -   Pubescence: No pubescence. -   Length of petiole: 2 mm. -   Diameter of petiole: 1-2 mm. -   Color of petiole: 137A. -   Petiole surface texture: Smooth.

The Bud

-   Peduncle length: 18-28 mm, depending on season. -   Peduncle width: 1-2 mm. -   Peduncle shape: Long and threadlike. -   Peduncle color: 137B. -   Size of the bud: Length: 3 mm — Diameter: 3 mm. -   Shape of the bud: Oval. -   Color of the bud: 157B. -   Number of buds per lateral branch: 8-28. -   Sepals: Color both surfaces: 141A — Form: Star-shaped — Number: 5,     parted — Length: 1-2 mm — Width: 1-2 mm — Shape: Elliptic, apex     acute, base truncate — Margin: Entire — Texture: Smooth. -   Bracts: Color upper side: 141A — Color lower side: 141B —     Arrangement: Sessile — Number: One underneath every pedicel —     Length: 1-2 mm — Width: 1-2 mm — Apex: Acute — Base: Subcordate —     Margin: Entire — Texture: Smooth. -   Pedicels: Color: 141B — Shape: Threadlike — Length: 6-8 mm —     Diameter: 1 mm.

The Flower

-   Inflorescence length: 4-8 cm. -   Inflorescence diameter: 2-4 cm. -   Flowerwidth: 18-20mm. -   Flower length: 19-22 mm. -   Flower depth: 6-8 mm. -   Flower aspect: Tipped upward and outward. -   Borne: Solitary, on axillary racemes. -   Form: Zygomorphic, five lobed, double nectar spur. -   Cluster: Raceme. -   Color: Upper surface: 25C, bit darker, on the two upper banner     petals there is a small yellow (color 9B) indentation just above the     reproductive organs — Lower surface: 37B, bit darker, on the two     upper banner petals there is a small yellow (color 9D) indentation     at the base. -   Overlapping of the petals: Separate. -   Number of petals: Five: two upper banner petals, two lateral petals     and one larger basal lip petal. -   Shape of the banner petals: Apex rounded, base fused. -   Shape of the lateral petals: Apex rounded, base fused, lower surface     modified into nectar spurs. -   Petal margin: Entire, starting as a young flower a bit undulate,     later just entire. -   Petal surface texture: Smooth. -   Size of the banner petals: — Length: 4-5 mm — Width: 4-7 mm. -   Size of the lateral petals: — Length: 4-5 mm — Width: 4-7mm. -   Size of the basal lip petal: — Length: 16-18 mm — Width: 16-20 mm. -   Spur: Length: 6 mm — Diameter: 1-2 mm at petal attachment — Color:     186C. -   Number of flowers per raceme: 20-55. -   Fragrance: No fragrance. -   Lastingness of the bloom: New florets continue to open in one raceme     over a period of 18 days. -   Lastingness of one flower: About 4 days depending on temperature. -   Flowering season: Depending on climate from March until December.

The Reproductive Organs

-   Androecium:- Stamen number: Three — Anther shape: Two-lobed — Anther     size: Less than 1 mm — Anther color: Yellow 7A — Amount of pollen:     Very much pollen — Pollen color: Yellow 7A. -   Gynoecium: Pistil number: 1 — Stigma shape: Rounded — Pistil length:     2-3 mm — Style length: 1-2 mm — Style color: Green 143A — Stigma     color: 157B — Ovary color: 134B.

The Fruit and the Seed

-   Seedset: No fruit development or seedset has been observed.

The Roots

-   Type of roots: Fibrous. -   Rooting habit: Fine and freely branching. -   Color: Whiteish, N155A.

Physiological and Ecological Characteristics

-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Diascia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Diascia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Diascia have been observed     to tolerate temperature from 0 to 35 degrees C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant named ‘Diaspritwo,’ as substantially illustrated and described herein. 